While Idols South Africa and Mnet are yet to release an official statement on the petition, M-Net’s Nondumiso Mabece told the Daily Sun that the show has a history of supporting the LGBTQIA community. She added “It is shown in the make-up of the top 16 over the past seasons. Here, the judges judged the contestant’s voice. Contestants are treated equally and judged on their singing, irrespective of sexual orientation. The dialogue was an effort to understand the contestant’s identity. We apologise for any offence.”